If I Could Take Three People on Summer Vacation

Unlikely Merger is now available and it's on sale for 99 cents!

We recently provided a writing prompt to our authors: If you could take three people on summer vacation, you'd take [who] and [why]. We told them they could take real or fictional people, from the past, present, or future.

Today, Betty Thomason Owens gives us her response.

If I Could Take Three People on Summer Vacation

by Betty Thomason Owens

If I could take three people on summer vacation, I’d take …

If I could take three people on a summer vacation, I'd take my husband, my mom, and Dad to Seattle and surrounds. I'd want my best friend and husband of forty years with me, because it just wouldn't be fun without him and he loves the area. My mother grew up in Seattle and Dad always regretted never taking her to visit. We wouldn't fly, because Mom has difficulty with the altitude thing, so we'd rent a luxurious RV and make it a fun road trip. This is fantasy, right? So I can afford a luxurious RV and an extended vacation.

Upon arrival in Seattle, we'd visit all the places my mother remembers from her childhood. We'd sip coffee at Tully's downtown and stroll over to Pike's Place Market. We'd sit on the wharf and have a bowl of fresh clam chowder.

Afterward, we'd visit her cousins who live in a beautiful log cabin near Edgewood. The views of Rainier are amazing in that area. We'd visit Rainier National Park then stop at the fruit stands and eat fresh cherries--because of course it would be cherry season.

A ferry would then transport us to the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound. We'd visit Friday Harbor and Orcas Island, do some whale watching, and climb Mt. Constitution.

After we'd seen everything Mom wanted to see, we'd head back to Kentucky, where she now lives alone, in a one-bedroom apartment. Dad's been gone for eight years. But it sure would be nice to visit with him and make an old dream come true for the both of them.

****

Betty Thomason Owens writes romantic comedy, historical fiction, and fantasy-adventure. She has contributed hundreds of articles and interviews to various blogs around the Internet and is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), where she leads a critique group. She’s also a mentor, assisting other writers. She is a co-founder of a blog dedicated to inspiring writers, and a contributing editor for the online magazine, Imaginate.

Her 20’s era romance, Amelia's Legacy, Book One in the Legacy Series, released October, 2014 (Write Integrity Press). She also writes contemporary stories as a co-author of A Dozen Apologies and its sequels, The Love Boat Bachelor and Unlikely Merger. She has two fantasy-adventure novels, The Lady of the Haven and A Gathering of Eagles, in a second edition published by Sign of the Whale Books^TM, an imprint of Olivia Kimbrell Press^TM.

Write Integrity released her latest book last month: Annabelle's Ruth is a 1950’s historical novel inspired by the Book of Ruth, Book One of the Kinsman Redeemer Series.

You can connect with Betty on her personal webpage, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and at Writing Prompts & Thoughts & Ideas…Oh My!

Available on Kindle and in paperback at Amazon
and most booksellers by request.

 

 

Available on Kindle and in paperback at Amazon
and most booksellers by request.

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Sunday, July 5

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes SweetPepper Relish

Saturday, July 4:

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Keeping it Simple

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Betty Thomason Owens

Friday, July 3:

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Potato Salad and Cucumbers
Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Kazak Samsa
Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Write Integrity Press: Book Release Day – Free on Kindle!
Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Summer Recipes Sweet Pepper Relish

Unlikely Merger is now available and it's FREE on Kindle! 
Today's the last day, so grab your copy before it's too late.

Summer is my favorite time of year - sunshine, water, fishing, swimming, boating, and blessed warm temperatures. But one more aspect makes summer best of all - FRESH VEGETABLES straight from the garden.

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I used to truck farm - we owned 30 acres and we planted (mostly on hands and knees) half of it with vegetables that we sold at local farmers markets or we preserved for our own use. Today, I'm sharing one of the recipes that became a favorite during that time. The jars were so pretty, I usually kept some of them out for display, at least as long as I could keep the stuff around.

Sweet Pepper Relish

by Tracy Ruckman

2 dozen bell peppers - use red, green, and yellow for a bright relish

3 large onions

4 cups vinegar (5%)

2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons canning salt

Wash and drain the vegetables. Chop in small chunks or fine, depending on your preference for texture, using food processor if possible. Cover the vegetables with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain, then cover again with boiling water. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Drain well. Use a kitchen towel to press all water out of vegetables through colander. Just don’t crush them.

Place the veggies back in the pot and add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Pack into sterilized jars, seal and process in boiling water back for five minutes.

This recipe makes approximately 6-8 pint jars.

****

Tracy Ruckman owns two traditional publishing companies (Write Integrity Press and Pix-N-Pens), one subsidy press (TMP Books), and a digital magazine (Imaginate). She is also a full-time student seeking her MFA in Screenwriting. In her spare time, she loves to eat, sleep, and bathe. She's proud mom to two grown sons and makes her home with the real-life Prince Charming in metro Atlanta.

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Saturday, July 4:

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Keeping it Simple

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Betty Thomason Owens

Friday, July 3:

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Potato Salad and Cucumbers
Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Write Integrity Press: Summer Recipes Kazak Samsa
Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Write Integrity Press: Book Release Day – Free on Kindle!
Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Summer Recipes Keeping it Simple

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

Today's recipe comes from Suzy Moore, one of the authors of Unlikely Merger. Suzy has been a blessing to all of us at the WIP/PNP family since we were first introduced in 2013. She's helped us with administrative tasks on several big projects, and we're grateful for her time and efficiency! We were thrilled to have her join us on our latest book.

Marinated Summer Veggies

by Suzy Moore

My grandparents loved summer produce. Grandpa was an avid gardener and Grandma always knew

exactly what to do with the bounty. All summer long there would be a row of tomatoes ripening on the kitchen window sill, and the aroma of green peppers, green onions, and cucumbers hung in the kitchen like a welcome from the garden.

Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins lived nearby. For the ones that didn't, summer was usually the time they came to visit, so there were lots of get-togethers and potlucks and barbecues at Grandma and Grandpa's house during those months of long days in the sunshine.

My favorite summer recipe is heavy on the "summer" and probably a little too simple to be considered a "recipe", but it's my go-to favorite any time we are attending a summer potluck, or just celebrating the season at home. The smell of the vinegar and cucumbers takes me right back, every time, to my grandparents' kitchen and all of those wonderful childhood summer memories.

There are plenty of variations on this basic rendition, and the amount of each ingredient can be tweaked to suit your individual taste.

You'll need:

2-3 cucumbers, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 large white onion, sliced into thin rings

Equal parts vinegar (I like to use apple cider vinegar) and sugar-approx. 2/3 cup

Dill and black pepper to taste

Layer the vegetables in a bowl and pour the vinegar, sugar and spices on top. Stir well to mix. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for as long as you can wait before digging in!

You can also add a teaspoon or so of your favorite oil, fresh tomatoes, chopped green peppers, and any other spices you may like.

Summer fare that is full of flavor and aroma, and simple enough to throw together quickly without missing out on any of the fun in the sun.  Happy summer eating!

****

Suzy Moore loves to get lost in a good story. She has a passion for the written word and for the many ways it can touch and uplift through the sharing of lives, stories, and most importantly the Gospel. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband and five children where she is a homeschooling mom, free-lance editor, and wanna-be farmer of all things natural and delicious. Connect with her on Facebook at her website. 

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Friday, July 3:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Summer Recipes Potato Salad and Cucumbers

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

We invited our authors to share some of their favorite summer recipes. Today's recipe comes from Jennifer Hallmark, one of the authors of Unlikely Merger.

My Favorite Summer Recipes

Jennifer Hallmark

When I think of recipes in the summer, I picture fresh vegetables straight from my garden. We usually plant broccoli, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, beets, corn, green beans, and pink-eyed purple hull peas. Yes, the peas are a southern must-have.

I love to share recipes, so today I’ll post two summer staples: potato salad and cucumber salad. It seems no family reunion or church social is complete without potato salad and some fixin’s of cucumbers.

The cucumber recipe is simple. You simple take 6-8 cucumbers, then peel and slice into a large bowl. Mix one cup of mayonnaise with either 2 tablespoons of vinegar or milk, depending on whether you like the vinegar taste. We prefer milk. Then add about a teaspoon of Morton Nature’s Seasons seasoning blend and whisk until smooth. Pour over cucumbers and chill. Enjoy!

My potato salad recipe is not too hard either. I place around four pounds of potatoes in a large Dutch oven, unpeeled, and boil until tender. I find they have a better consistency if I leave the peel on when boiling. Then I peel, and cut into cubes. I add four boiled eggs, chopped, and ¼ cup chopped onion (if you like onion). From here, I estimate. I’ll start by adding 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of prepared mustard, and ¼ cup of relish, either dill or sweet. I go back and forth, depending on whether I want the tang or the sweet. A couple of teaspoons of Nature’s Seasons seasoning blend and maybe a touch of pepper complete the salad. I stir it all up and then taste and add mayo or relish until it’s just right.

Yum! Delicious summer recipes, sure to please.

****

Jennifer Hallmark: writer by nature, artist at heart, and daughter of God by His grace. With over 200 articles and interviews on the internet, her attention has moved to southern fiction and YA fantasy.

Her first book published in early 2014, a multi-authored romantic comedy novella, called A Dozen Apologies. She is currently shopping her YA series, Journey of Grace: Realm of Ecclesia, and a contemporary southern fiction novel, When Wedding and Weather Collide.

She is also part of two compilation projects to be released later this year. Unlikely Merger is a romantic novella, a sequel to A Dozen Apologies. She’s also contributed to the anthology: Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual Companion for those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage.

Jennifer shares a writer’s reference blog, Writing Prompts & Thoughts & Ideas…Oh My! with friends, Betty, Tammy, Allison, Karen, Cari, Holly, Anne, Robin, and Betty B.

Jennifer and her husband, Danny, have spent their married life in Alabama and have a basset hound, Max. Their daughter Mandy is married to Tim, and has given them two beautiful granddaughters, Ava and Sadie. Their son, Jonathan, is currently working in the food industry and trying to complete his degree in business.

She loves to read detective fiction from the Golden Age, watch movies like LOTR, and play with her two precious granddaughters. At times, she writes.

You can find Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Friday, July 3:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Summer Recipe Kazak Samsa

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

We invited our authors to share some of their favorite summer recipes. Today's recipe comes from Carole Towriss, one of the chapter contest winners for Unlikely Merger.

Kazak Samsa

by Carole Towriss

Our three youngest children are adopted from Kazakhstan. The two girls are ethnic Kazakh, and our son is Russian, his family apparently moved south—courtesy of Stalin—sometime in the past.

While we were there to complete the adoptions we tried some of the native food, but they eat a lot of mutton and horsemeat, and they don’t eat dessert as we know it. We wanted to find at least one recipe from their native land for them enjoy, and we eventually settled on this one. It’s not hard but it does take a lot of time to make a decent-sized batch, so it’s a great one to make during the summer. It can be made with meat, but the sweet version is our favorite.

FILLING:

6 oz walnuts, shelled, crushed

1 ½ tablespoon sugar

1 ½ tablespoon butter, unsalted, softened

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

DOUGH:

You can use any dough recipe you like, or cheat like I do and buy the premade kind.

Roll the dough out to about 18” square.  Cut into 2” squares.  Place a teaspoon of filling in each square and draw the four corners to the middle, or fold over to a triangle. Pinch to seal. 

Traditionally these are fried, but that’s quite messy and adds loads of unnecessary calories and hours of time. I find them to be just as delicious when baked and far more healthy. So just place them on a sprayed baking sheet, and bake until golden brown. 

****

Carole Towriss grew up in beautiful San Diego, California. Now she and her husband live just north of Washington, DC. In between making tacos and telling her four children to pick up their shoes for the third time, she reads, writes, watches chick flicks and waits for summertime to return to the beach. You can find her at www.CaroleTowriss.com.

    

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Thursday, July 2

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Book Release Day - Free on Kindle!

We're excited to celebrate the release of our latest collaborative novella, Unlikely Merger, the third book in The Heart Seekers Series. You'll meet the hero that READERS chose!

Today, July 1 through Sunday, July 5, Unlikely Merger will be FREE on Kindle. Get your copy, and please, tell all your friends about it!

No longer needed as her father’s nurse, Mercy Lacewell attempts to step into his shoes at his acquisitions firm. That means travel, engaging strangers, and making final decisions—nothing she feels equipped to do. If her best friend has her way, Mercy will simply marry one of the single, available men she meets, but they overwhelm her. So handsome and kind. And so many. Even if she felt obliged, how could she ever choose?

Should she shove all attraction aside and focus on her father’s business, or is God warming her heart with the possibility of forever?


In case you missed the first two books in The Heart Seeker Series:

Book One: A Dozen Apologies

Mara Adkins, a promising fashion designer, has fallen off the ladder of success, and she can’t seem to get up. 

In college, Mara and her sorority sisters played an ugly game, and Mara was usually the winner. She’d date men she considered geeks, win their confidence, and then she’d dump them publicly. When Mara begins work for a prestigious clothing designer in New York, she gets her comeuppance. Her boyfriend steals her designs and wins a coveted position. He fires her, and she returns in shame to her home in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where life for others has changed for the better. 

Mara’s parents, always seemingly one step from a divorce, have rediscovered their love for each other, but more importantly they have placed Christ in the center of that love. The changes Mara sees in their lives cause her to seek Christ. Mara’s heart is pierced by her actions toward the twelve men she’d wronged in college, and she sets out to apologize to each of them. A girl with that many amends to make, though, needs money for travel, and Mara finds more ways to lose a job than she ever thought possible. 

Mara stumbles, bumbles, and humbles her way toward employment and toward possible reconciliation with the twelve men she humiliated to find that God truly does look upon the heart, and that He has chosen the heart of one of the men for her to have and to hold. 

Book Two: The Love Boat Bachelor

Romance is a joke. 

After the love of Brent Teague’s life came back into his world only to marry someone else, Brent is through with women. He might be through with being a pastor, too. 

Brent was so sure that God brought Mara Adkins home to him so they could marry and live happily ever after. Six months after her wedding to another man, that theory is obviously a dud. If Brent could be so wrong about that, who’s to say he’s not mistaken about God calling him to pastoral ministry? 

Tired of watching Brent flounder for direction, Brent’s feisty older sister boots him out of Spartanburg and onto a cruise ship. Brent’s old college buddy manages the ship’s staff, and he’s thrilled to finagle Brent into the role of chaplain for the two-week cruise. 

As the ship sets sail, Brent starts to relax. Maybe a cruise wasn’t such a bad idea after all. But there’s just one little thing no one told him. He’s not on any ordinary cruise. He’s on The Love Boat. 

What’s a sworn bachelor to do on a Caribbean cruise full of romance and love? He’ll either have to jump ship or embrace the unforgettable romantic comedy headed his way. 

Behind the Scenes of Unlikely Merger:

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Tuesday, June 23

Write Integrity Press: Marji Laine's What’s a Boom-Hunt Road Trip?

Jennifer Hallmark: Why I Keep Saying Yes to The Proposal by Julie Arduini

Marie Wells Coutu: The Ultimate Bucket List

Deborah Dee Harper: DeeTrails ~ To Love a Weed

Monday, June 22

Write Integrity Press: Let the Road Trips Begin

Deborah Dee Harper: The Only Thing We Have to Fear ... Getting it All Wrong

Saturday, June 20

Write Integrity Press: Vote for the Hero!